Breaking Barriers: The Legacy of UM General Conference

Breaking Barriers is a program that provides housing, tenancy support, and case management services to justice-impacted individuals. It is a nationally recognized model that has shown to be effective in reducing recidivism and homelessness.

The department congratulates Anastasiia Timmer, who successfully defended her dissertation and completed her Ph.D. in Sociology. Her research lies at the intersection of criminology, medical sociology, and social psychology.
UM General

The United Methodist General Conference is the body that sets official policy for the denomination. The Conference is a quadrennial meeting where delegates gather from around the world to worship, pray and connect in fellowship. The General Conference has full legislative power over all matters distinctively connectional, and its decisions are recorded in the Book of Discipline and the Book of Resolutions. The conference also publishes the Daily Christian Advocate, which documents the decision-making process and communicates the church’s official position on a wide range of issues and cultural challenges.

The recent college admissions bribery scandal has sparked conversations about how wealth can influence college admissions. Lauren Schandevel, a sophomore at University of Michigan, says she’s seen more discussions about legacy advantages since the scandal broke. “People are starting to realize how much privilege and power they have in their lives, especially those who have families that give them a leg up on a lot of things,” she said.

UM’s admissions policy doesn’t include legacy preferences, a spokesperson for the university tells the Ann Arbor News. The school’s admissions team looks at grades in rigorous courses, standardized test scores in context, extracurricular activities and leadership experiences. “Legacy only helps a little,” the spokesperson says. “If you’re related to a big donor, that could help, but it won’t be the determining factor.”

Breaking barriers requires more than just stone or graffiti-covered concrete. It also takes commitment and courage, as demonstrated by the life of civil rights leader James Meredith. Meredith’s integration of the University of Mississippi in 1962 shattered barriers that had stood for years, opening doors for thousands of students to attend a university that had been previously closed to them. His efforts were celebrated when a scholarship was established to honor him in his 60th anniversary year at the University.

The clergy and lay heads of 2020 General Conference delegations from the Southeastern Jurisdiction released a statement last week affirming that they will not support legislation at the upcoming legislative meeting in Minneapolis to end the denomination’s historic unity with people who are LGBTQ+. They are urging other members of their conferences to join them in prayer for the work of the conference and for discernment on this important issue. https://umgcllc.com/
UM Health Sciences

UM Health Sciences is the college that trains compassionate and innovative health care professionals to meet local, national and global healthcare needs. With state-of-the-art labs and a world-class faculty, students are challenged and supported. The college reflects the University’s mission to educate, prepare and sustain exemplary practitioners and administrators in the interrelated fields of education, health and human services.

Tremendous leaps in health care technology have created an increased need for health science professionals. Located in Shapero Hall, the original home of the College of Education, Health and Human Services, the college has transformed into an interrelated collection of programs with shared teaching and research missions. The college contributes to UM’s identity as a dynamic metropolitan university where teaching and research interact to develop leaders and new knowledge for the benefit of Detroit’s metropolitan area and beyond.

The college offers the Health Sciences Comprehensive Major and four specializations: health science general, preprofessional, pre-occupational therapy, and pre-physical therapy. The first two years are dedicated to a common curriculum that includes learning about the body and how it works, diseases and disabilities, medical terminology and research methods. The final two years focus on specialized requirements for specific career paths. Students complement their coursework with electives to broaden their skills and interests.

Students gain valuable real-world experience through clinical rotations, externships and practicums. They also attend seminars and lecture series and participate in research opportunities with U-M Medical School faculty members. In addition, the Roland “Red” Hiss Lectureship, a 10-week program that gives undergraduate students access to experts at Michigan Medicine, honors a professor who pioneered innovations in medical education.

Ponce is a first-generation college student, and she has taken the past few weeks to soak in all she has achieved at UM. She’s looking forward to the future, but she’s also taking the time to appreciate all of her accomplishments. She credits scholarships with helping her get here. “Without them, I probably would not have been able to come,” she says.

UM’s history of supporting the academic needs of students with disabilities continues to this day. During the application process, students are encouraged to (first) disclose their disability status to the Office of Student Disability Services (SDS), which will work with them to provide reasonable accommodations.
UM School of Social Work

The School of Social Work is a top-ranked institution with a national reputation for classroom innovation and advanced research. The School offers master’s and doctoral programs, field education and life-long learning opportunities. Its research addresses real-world problems and impacts communities globally. The School’s mission is to effectively engage in activities integral to preparing skilled baccalaureate and master’s level social workers, while promoting more just and humane social structures and outcomes throughout Montana, the United States and internationally.

During the 1950s and 1960s, School faculty expanded its curriculum to include more advanced training in major divisions of the field, identified as social case work, group work, community organization, public welfare, research and statistics, administration and field instruction. Increasingly, students needed to spend longer periods of time in the field doing service work. To meet this need the School developed a more flexible program of field instruction and increased funding to support student field placements.

As a result of the changes that occurred during this period, the School’s academic and professional profile rose significantly. The School of Social Work attracted a larger number of students, increased non-University support for teaching, research and training, and established partnerships with local government agencies, voluntary social welfare organizations, and foundations to expand the scope of its educational programs.

A new era began in 1953 with an interdisciplinary faculty seminar on the research basis of welfare practice, supported by the Russell Sage Foundation. This interdisciplinary approach to research helped the School to become more integrated with the University and its other departments. Professor Edwin Thomas, who directed the seminar, and other members of the School’s staff became active in developing a program to bring social science research and knowledge into the undergraduate and graduate curricula.

In 1961 the School of Social Work was formally organized as an independent department, and the first class of Masters students received their degrees. During the 1960s and 1970s, faculty continued their efforts to strengthen field instruction, and increased outside funding allowed the School to make further expansions in its teaching and research. The School’s curriculum was broadened, and the research, writing, and teaching of the faculty were recognized nationally for their contributions to social work education.
UM School of Education

The UM School of Education is the latest addition to a university that has grown rapidly in size, scope and reputation. Its students regularly win prestigious scholarships and its faculty have a strong international profile. The school is a major research institution with a wide variety of programs in acoustics, physics, chemistry, social sciences and health care. Its flagship academic programs include the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, Croft Institute for International Studies and Lott Leadership Institute. In addition, it houses one of the world’s finest collections of William Faulkner works and maintains his Rowan Oak home as a literary shrine.

UM is a top research university and is among the elite group of R1 universities with “very high research activity.” Its faculty conduct cutting-edge research in diverse fields, such as agricultural sciences, cereal chemistry, plant science, medicine, public health and humanities. Its research activities are funded by millions of dollars in grants from the federal government, corporations and foundations. The university’s researchers also work closely with community partners to address local needs, including providing teacher apprentices for classrooms across the state.

The School of Education was founded in 1921 and has since grown significantly. The curriculum has included courses on educational psychology, tests and measurements, school administration and supervision, instructional methods, vocational guidance, and physical training.

In addition to classroom teaching, the university offers a wide range of practical experience through internships and other field placements. Its students are able to apply their knowledge in real-world settings, such as the UM Foodbank in Hattiesburg and the Mississippi Department of Health in Jackson. The University of Mississippi is also known for its academic excellence and was the first public university in the country to shelter a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest undergraduate honor society.

A recent gift from the Marsal family will help fund the university’s education initiatives. The University will be able to support more teachers and build partnerships with schools around the state, thanks to this new funding. This gift is in keeping with the family’s history of supporting education, according to a news release.